One of the reasons ETA Elizabeth “Liz” Wallace wanted to spend her year teaching in Indonesia was to learn more about Islam. Since she is placed at a high school that practices the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) interpretation of Sunni Islam, she is constantly exposed to NU traditions and practices. This September, Liz had the incredible opportunity to get to know some of the tenets of NU Islam on a more personal level. The teachers at her school (SMA Nahdlatul Ulama 1 Gresik) went on a daylong journey to seven different holy sites for the observers of NU. These sites consisted of a variety of tombs that hold the remains of figures special to the sect’s history and beliefs. Liz’s fellow teachers explained to her the significance of each of the tombs as well as the 45 minutes of prayer that accompanied each stop. Liz was thrilled to get to see a new part of her region as the teachers hopped from holy site to holy site and was fascinated to learn about the religious stories her fellow teachers told her.

The day wasn’t all praying, however. The teachers got to stop at an Oceanside café for lunch where Liz enjoyed soaking up the sea air and eating some delicious East Javanese seafood dishes. She also stopped by a traditional fish market with a very distinctive odor of salted fish.

Though the teachers were exhausted after spending their entire Saturday (six in the morning until six in the evening!) on a religious pilgrimage, Liz was very grateful to have been included, to learn about NU Islam, and to gain more insight into the culture of her fellow teachers.

Elizabeth “Liz” Wallace is currently teaching at SMA Nahdlatul Ulama 1 Gresik, East Java